Historical Tourism in Contemporary China

A Case Study

I was privileged to be a Fellow in the 2013 Fulbright-Hays Social Sciences in ChinaSummer Abroad Program Seminar, hosted by the National Committee on United States - China Relations and the China Education Association for International Exchange that administers the seminar on behalfof the Fulbright-Hays Seminars Abroad. The program included site visits and meetings with scholars, government officials, economists, entrepreneurs, and educators. We visited key cities (Beijing, Xi’an, Chongqing, Shanghai) and heritage sites in China to gain historical perspective and an appreciation for China today. Visits and cultural events provided Fellows with a broad exposure to contemporary Chinese society.

The project engages faculty and students in specific historical tourism case studies in China. Working with the case studies will familiarize students with tools for comprehending the human drama in the movement of people seeking culture, leisure, and recreation. Each case is designed to improve understanding of tourism as one of the world’s three largest industries and to identify historical tourism as one of its strongest components.

The U. S. and China are major tourist destinations drawing millions of visitors annually. The National Tourist Administration of the People’s Republic of China (CNTA) accurately calls tourism “An Everlasting Prosperous Industry.” CNTA maintains offices all over the world. As government restrictions relax, China is also one of the world’s fastest growing outbound markets and the U.S. is among the nations granted Approved Destination Status (ADS). Tourism is something most American students understand. Many San Antonio College students work or train for employment in the tourist industry, which is an essential part of the San Antonio economy. Connecting regional and global tourism aspects should resonate with the Alamo Colleges students.